


The Art of Riding On

by orphan_account



Category: Reign (TV)
Genre: F/M, Mary centric, Ouch, character study: mary, it hurt writing this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-10
Updated: 2014-02-10
Packaged: 2018-01-11 19:29:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1176995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Just close your eyes/The sun is going down/You'll be alright/No one can hurt you now/Come morning light/You and I'll be safe and sound"</p><p>or</p><p>Mary's thoughts as she rides away from Francis</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Art of Riding On

**Author's Note:**

> Phew, two in one day?
> 
> (PS I don't own anything)

She feels the horse moving beneath her, picking up speed, pulling her away from Francis. All she wants is to turn her head, to look back, to turn back, to not believe so strongly. But she knows if she turns her head, she will have no control over what she does next. She knows if she sees Francis watching her run away, she will turn around and return to his arms.

_“Do you think we’re being too reckless?”_

_“I’m yours and you’re mine. I hope you’re pregnant.”_

What a sick twist of fate if she were to be with child. Francis’ child no less. They would haunt her throughout her days, after their father was gone. And what if Francis never even got to meet them? Was his death that imminent? The only way for her to save him would be to cause him pain. To cause them both pain and there was nothing she could do to stop it. She knew the pain she felt now would be nothing compared to the pain she would feel at Francis’ death. This was surely worth it if there was even the slimmest chance of his survival, even if he couldn’t understand it. 

_"I think it's quite clear that for us to stay sane, we need to be together."_

The memories of that morning had burned in her memory. The sunlight had warmed their bodies through the shades but the pure elatedness that flowed through her veins was warmth enough. They had promised they were each others' and now she could only rely on memories to keep her sane, not him.Catherine was right, Francis would stop at nothing to convince her that it was not real and she knew that she would someday believe him. She wanted to, so badly wanted to believe that Francis and her had a chance to tempt fate, to challenge history and create a strong alliance between their loved countries but still love each other unconditionally 

Scotland would look elsewhere for help if it meant Francis could live. She would give anything up for Francis’ life and it was her fatal flaw. Where once it had been Francis debating the merits of their marriage, it was now her throwing everything away to protect him. No matter what she did from now on, it would be to save Francis, to prevent their marriage. She knew her mother and others would protest but she would not let them stop her.

_“Oh, I’ll pressure you. And listen to you. And argue with you. And love you, until the day I die. Together we will decide what is right. As husband and wife.”_

And now it was her turn to decide what was right. Only it would not be as Francis’ wife, at all costs.


End file.
